法華經義記 1.41

1.41

又意致尋求則有事有理。所言事者，聲聞常在佛左右旦夕承奉，不辨於遊方益物，唯護戒清淨形跡交密，是故在前而列，尚其親密之懷。菩薩既以慈悲為先，荷護度人為誓，無方利物化他為務，不得常在佛側旦夕侍覲，形跡交疎，於中而列也。凡夫進則不及菩薩，退則有謝聲聞，唯以五塵自𤘽受愛染為累，是故經家貶其凡猥，在後而列也。理者，聲聞背生死苦、樂涅槃樂，凡夫樂生死苦、背涅槃樂，是故聲聞在前凡夫在後。何以知然？聲聞之人為三毒所惱、八苦所煎，是故棄背生死之苦、樂求涅槃之樂；凡夫愛著有為、憎壞無為；菩薩則兩捨居空，雖樂涅槃，不同聲聞畏生死苦自求涅槃，雖樂生死，不等凡夫有愛著之心，但為求化他常求利物。是故《維摩經》言：「不捨有為，不住無為」，此之謂也。二意如此，三眾可見。

Moreover, if one seeks the underlying significance, there are both the phenomenal and the doctrinal [aspects]. As for the phenomenal: the śrāvakas were constantly at the Buddha's side serving him morning and evening; not discerning wandering abroad to benefit beings, they solely guarded the precepts purely, their association with him being intimate. Therefore they are listed first, esteeming their sentiment of close intimacy. As the bodhisattvas prioritize compassion, vow to take upon themselves the protection and salvation of humanity, and make it their task to benefit beings everywhere and transform others, they could not constantly be at the Buddha's side serving and attending him morning and evening; their association being distant, they are listed in the middle. Ordinary beings, progressing, do not equal the bodhisattvas; regressing, they fall short of the śrāvakas; solely wallowing in the five sense-objects and burdened by craving and defilement, the compiler of the sūtra therefore looked down upon their ordinary vulgarity and listed them last. As for the doctrinal: the śrāvakas turn their backs on the suffering of birth-and-death and delight in the joy of nirvāṇa; ordinary beings delight in the suffering of birth-and-death and turn their backs on the joy of nirvāṇa. Therefore the śrāvakas are in front and ordinary beings are behind. How is this known to be so? Śrāvakas are distressed by the three poisons and tormented by the eight sufferings; therefore they cast off and turn their backs on the suffering of birth-and-death, and delight in seeking the joy of nirvāṇa. Ordinary beings are attached to the conditioned and detest the destruction of the unconditioned. Bodhisattvas, however, renounce both and dwell in emptiness: although they delight in nirvāṇa, unlike the śrāvakas they do not fear the suffering of birth-and-death to seek nirvāṇa for themselves; although they delight in birth-and-death, unlike ordinary beings they have no mind of attachment, but merely constantly seek to benefit beings in order to transform others. Therefore the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra states: "Not abandoning the conditioned, not abiding in the unconditioned"; this is what it means. These two intentions being such, the three assemblies can be understood.